Spy Coast Farm’s Robert & Lisa Lourie Join Wellington Equestrian Partners, LLC
January 14, 2009
WELLINGTON, Fla., Jan. 14–Robert and Lisa Lourie, the owners of Spy Coast Farm, have joined Wellington Equestrian Partners, LLC (WEP).
WEP is the holding company that owns the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) as well as Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC (ESP) that in turn owns and operates the Wellington horse shows including the world famous Winter Equestrian Festival. The Partnership owns over 500 acres of Wellington real estate that surrounds PBIEC.
The Louries have extensive equestrian interests under the umbrella of Spy Coast Farm, with farms in Wellington, Long Island and a breeding facility in Lexington, Ky.
The Louries became involved in show jumping through their daughter, Julia, who began riding at age 8. Julia is now 16 and competes in the Junior Jumpers and Equitation. Her mother, Lisa, began riding at the same time as Julia, but has focused her interest on horse breeding. Lisa, a former ICU/CCU nurse, enjoys the challenge of breeding older, proven performance mares. The first progeny, Spy on the Devil, was Champion in Thoroughbred hunters the first week of FTI WEF. Robert, a former professor of nuclear physics, has worked in quantitative finance for the last 14 years.
The Lourie family has been participating in WEF for five years.
They met Ali and Shane Sweetnam, owners of Sweet Oak Farm, during the 2006 season. They have been training with them and sponsoring Shane since that time.
Spy Coast Farm has acquired world class breeding stallions, some of which are shown by Shane.
As their involvement in the sport has grown so, too, has their commitment to the community that WEF serves.
“We are very excited about the Louries’ involvement in the WEP Partnership,” said Mark Bellissimo, the WEP Managing Partner and Chief Executive of Equestrian Sport Productions,
“The Louries are very committed to equestrian sport, Wellington, and to our vision to make Wellington and the PBIEC the premier equestrian destination in the world. Our ongoing goal is to broaden the partnership by bringing in new circles of equestrians that will contribute new ideas and feedback to our efforts.
“We look forward to working with the Louries. All of our partners have a family member involved in the sport which ensures a long term orientation.”
“We are pleased and honored to be partners in this exciting endeavor and all it means for the future of show jumping in America,” the Louries said in a statement.
The Lourie family has also become members of WEP’s Operating Committee which comprises the largest shareholders and guides the entity.
The WEP Operating Committee includes Mark and Katherine Bellissimo, Dennis and Marsha Dammerman, Roger and Jennifer Smith, Craig and Frances Lindner, Bruce Duchossois, Susan and Stuart Goldstein and, now, Robert and Lisa Lourie.
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